


Maybe We can try

by itachiloverful



Series: Greek Love Stories [1]
Category: Greek and Roman Mythology
Genre: A little angst, Awkward Sexual Situations, F/M, Romance, actually, maybe an argument or seven, more than a little, slow build up to true romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-25
Updated: 2018-05-16
Packaged: 2018-07-26 15:12:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 3,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7578982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itachiloverful/pseuds/itachiloverful
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hephaestus and Aphrodite have been married for a very long time, but they've never known each other as man and wife.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a review. I've had horrible writer's block so any tips or comments will help me out in the long run. Thank you so much for reading!

You figured after centuries of the stares, taunts, and jeers he would be used to it by now. Usually he just walked past the snickering groups of gods, not even noticing their comments.

But when it was HER, when she gave him those looks, or whispered behind his back, it broke him. A new piece every time. Some days, Hephaestus wondered why he even bothered trying to gain her affection. She was the most pure, beautiful creature he had ever seen. 

He had tried crafting objects that could match her beauty, hoping that maybe if he could create something similar, he would stop falling for it. Alas, everything he created, though beautiful and high in value, paled in comparison to the goddess of love.

Deep down he knew. Knew that his attempts to woo her with gifts and kind words would never work for they were no different from the array of praise she received every day.

Working down in his forge is the only thing that brings him peace-relief from the constant stares and buzzing. Relief from the constant reminders that she is laying with his brothers instead of her rightful place at his side.

Reaching up he placed a calloused hand on the right side of his face, his worn fingers grazing over every rivet created by a mass of scars marring his face. Was this really why she didn't love him? Could she not move past the horrid image? He figured. Who really could ever love a beast like him?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aphrodite's POV

She shivered harshly, wrapping the lace shawl tightly around her shoulders. Tonight was cold. So cold she could see her breath exit her body in little white clouds and could hear the crunch of frost under her sandal clad feet. 

The Goddess of Love was alone tonight and she didn't know why. she had originally planned on staying with Aries after the large feast at the palace, but tonight..tonight she didn't want to be around the regular crowds. Tonight she wanted to go home. Her actual home.

It had been months since she had been near that part of Olympus. She hadn't heard from Hephaestus in even longer. The only times she had seen the smith god in recent months were the brief entrances and exits from the meeting hall. Brief words. A small glance filled with pain and sadness. 

She couldn't remember the last time she saw those black orbs filled with joy..with laughter. It had been so long. Shivering once more she rubbed her upper arms, trying to spread warmth. Almost halfway to the house shared by the strange couple, a soft light caught her attention.

Turning her head, the tall blonde gazed at the warm glow leaving the forge near their palace. There was only one place in Olympus that Aphrodite had never been..and that was Hephastus' forge.

Biting her lip, she stared at the large building for a few more moments before shaking her head and rolling her shoulders back. She was a goddess damn it and she wouldn't let some strange form of fear keep her from where she wanted to go. Taking the extra steps she began walking towards the forge, scrunching her nose as the small of burning wood and oil reached her. She hated this smell. It made her think of the smith god...and those eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to pull out my inner goddess to write this lovely woman's chapters. Please be kind to me! TT-TT  
> Please forgive my spelling errors.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hephaestus POV

Grunting softly, the large male carefully pulled the thin, gold wire out of the burning embers, lightly bending it into his preferred shape before dipping the string into the bucket of water beside him. After pulling the desired length he shifted to his work table, wiping the sweat from his brow. Leaning down to his table, he twisted and bent the precious metal into a large loop, adding it to the four other of its kind. 

Pulling another strand out of the fire, he began weaving it around the four loops, binding them together. Reaching down into the small drawer on his desk, he lifted a small, golden heart into the light. The charm was a pink cut of rose quartz, framed by thin lines of gold turned into intricate loops and wisps.

Using a small gold clasp, he hooked the delicate heart onto the fettered hoops. The end result was a bracelet, simple and beautiful in almost every way. No flaw could be found by the naked eye. Smiling to himself, he placed the item into a small box, quickly putting a lid over it and depositing it in his bottom desk drawer, closing it with a quick kick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't help but write this chapter. I needed Hephaestus to be in his "natural habitat"


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Goddess of Love is determined to find something in her husband.

The entire box made soft clinking sounds as if there were more than one object hidden behind the dull exterior. Aphrodite watched in awe as her husband worked. From stories she had heard, blacksmithing was dirty, harsh work. Every story flew out the back door as she watched the man before her glide gracefully from part to part, pulling here, dipping and shaping there. Even with his ever present limp, she could tell that this was his domain. He ruled here with an iron fist, never faltering in his steps. 

She swore she caught him doing some of these motions with his eyes closes, almost as if he were sleeping. Suddenly he came to a stop, leaning heavily over his hearth, his fists pressed against the worn stone. His shoulders sagged and an air of dread spread over him. After a few moments the goddess turned, rushing to get out of the forge. She didn't want to be around those immense feelings..those painful feelings anymore.

A blast of cold air hit her as she reached the outside, chilling her still flustered body. Touching her hand to her chest, she could feel her heartbeat slowly shifting back to a regular pace. He looked so happy in his forge. She felt a pang of jealousy. Why was it that he never looked at her the way he looked at his creations? Clenching her fists, she stomped to their palace. If he wouldn't look at her, she would have to make him!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is anyone else a little worried about what she's going to do? *shudders*
> 
> Once again, please forgive me for my horrible spelling.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally making it home.

The large spruce wood door creaked in protest as Hephaestus shouldered his way into his silent home. Dragging his feet, his ever present limp was made only more prominent in his exhausted state. Depositing his gloves and heavy boots on the table by the door, he raked a hand over his face, trudging up the marble steps. If he were to be one hundred percent honest, he detested the interior of their palace, but Aphrodite was so fond of polished stone that he didn't have the heart to change a single inch of the place. The dark hallways guided the blacksmith to the room hidden in their depths. His room was covered in scattered projects, some new and some old. Blue prints and designs lie crumpled in random places; on his nightstand, on the small desk in the far corner. Some were even tucked under his pillow and blankets. His nightstand also held a small lamp and a single framed photo. The picture was taken many many years ago and contained the beautiful Aphrodite, holding her son Eros for the first time. It was the Forge god's most precious possession

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was sitting in my Quantitative reasoning class when I suddenly got inspiration to write more on this story. This is the first time in over a year and a half that my muse for this story has spoken to me. Thank the Lord for math XD


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We learn of Aphrodite's son Eros and the role Hephaestus played there.

When the young god was born, it was painfully obvious who the boy’s father was- he was far too beautiful to be his own child. But instead of asking for the biological father to be there, Aphrodite had requested the presence of her husband.  
To say that Ares was angered would be an understatement. The god of war flew into one of his (many) fits of rage once he had found out that not only was he not informed of the birth of his first child, but that the boy was a god of love as well, not a masculine creature like his father.  
As the boy grew he showed no signs of being upset by the rejection from his father. He simply loved. Love the fact that he was alive, loved the fact that he was a god of love, and loved his mother.   
It wasn’t until later, when the boy was growing into a man, that the lack of fatherly affection began to bother him. Days went by and he would simply mope around his mother’s palace, pondering why his father wanted nothing to do with him. Eventually, in a panic, Aphrodite called upon Hephaestus. The blacksmith wasted no time rushing to his wife’s shared palace with her son to speak with the boy.   
After that day, Eros grew to look at Hephaestus as a father figure. The two would spend quiet days in the forge where the elder god would show him how he crafted jewelry, weapons, and even the thrones of the gods. It was there that the forge god created the bow and arrows that Eros love so much. 

Stroking the picture fondly, Hephaestus slowly sank to his mattress, listening to the crinkling of paper beneath him as he drifted off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was reading through some of the facts about Hephaestus and almost forgot about the fact that Eros was passed onto him. Ares is Eros's biological father but for some reason not clearly stated in the mythology, he was passed to Hephaestus instead. This is my take on that.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aphrodite grows tired of waiting

Aphrodite lounged lazily on the large silk covered bed, her fingers drawing slow circles on the stone colored sheets. This bed held no memories that she could detect; no indents from bodies that should have been sleeping here, no heavy smells or creased pillows. The only things that that gave the room any feeling of being used were the delicate jewels hanging from the ceiling with their golden chains and the strong, constant scent that lingered through the entirety of the palace. The smell of fire and brimstone was so strong it surrounded her in its dark embrace, whispering promises only her husband could keep.  
After what felt like an eternity of waiting, the sound of their main door opening sent thrills through the love goddess. Bolting towards the door that led to their stairs, she waited with anticipation. Soon he would reach their room where she lay in waiting. Her stomach churned in nervous excitement. Soon, seconds ticked into minutes and she only grew more irritated.   
Making her way down the stone steps, she glances down the hall following the sound of dragging steps and the soft click of the door. Moving off of the final step, she let out a quiet hiss at the cool marble on her bare feet and quickly tightened her robe around her bare skin.  
She soon found herself up against the door, her ear pressed against the elegantly carved wood to listen to her husband on the other side. Papers crinkled loudly, followed by the creaking of a mattress. Counting the silent moments between the sounds, Aphrodite cautiously pushed the door open, her eyes falling to the man asleep on his side, his back to her.  
His heavy breathing informed her that he was in fact asleep. Creeping around the cluttered room, she lowered to settle on the bed in front of him. Her amber eyes roamed his sleeping form, pausing only to gaze at his marred face.  
She then began to wonder when she had stopped flinching at the sight of those scars, when had she stopped flinching every time she looked at his face or arm or leg? Lifting her hand, she delicately grazed the tips of her fingers across his scarred flesh. She had never heard the full story of how they came to be, but whispers around the halls of the Palace of Olympus mention him being thrown from the mountain due to a fight with their king, his father, Zeus. Pressing her thumb against Hephaestus’ cheek bone, she rubbed the dips and rivets lovingly, wondering to herself what he had looked like before these marks hid his face from the view of others.  
In a quick flash of movement she found herself pinned beneath the much larger god, his fingers dug painfully into the skin of her wrists, and his charcoal eyes burned with fear and anger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've come to terms with my problem. My muse literally only whispers to me when I'm supposed to be studying and doing school things. Thanks muse XD


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aphrodite faces the repercussions of her actions

Intense charcoal eyes stared down at her pink tinged face before roaming towards her exposed neck and chest. His grip on her wrists tightened as she arched up, forcing the cloth to fall from her flushed skin and revealing her pert breasts. Almost instantly his lips came smashing down onto hers, the hot, rough flesh molding to her much softer skin.

His fingers deftly move to tangle his fingers with hers as he kisses her with an intensity she had only dreamed of. Closing her eyes she parted her lips at the gentle prodding of his tongue, purring with pleasure once he invaded her. His scent was overwhelming, shrouding her with heat as she squeezed his hands. Those lips slowly left hers, only to begin peppering kisses along her cheek and finally down to her neck. Once there, he began to nip and suck at the skin, eliciting moans from his wife. 

"Heph.." She breathed, arching to rub her chest against his. 

At the sound of her voice his eyes snapped open. Releasing his grip, Hephaestus instantly jerked back, a hand clasped over his mouth in horror. Aphrodite slowly pushed herself onto her elbows, staring up at him. His eyes refused to meet hers. 

"Heph?" She reached out to him, her fingertips grazing the skin of his arm.

Flinching away from her touch, he scrambled off of the bed and rushed out the door. The goddess of love slowly touched her lips. That was the first time he had looked upon his wife with want.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had just finished a test in my math class when I came up with the idea for this chapter. I had been bouncing back and forth between two different ideas when this one popped up into my head. Literally the entire time I was writing this one, I kept thinking "I feel like I'm writing a sleezy romance novel" oh well heh. I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did writing it. See ya next time!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hephaestus reacts after waking to Aphrodite in his room.

Rushing out into the cool night air, the smith God took deep and shuddery breaths as he ran his hands through his unkempt mess of brown hair. His heart pounded against his ribs, causing adrenaline to pump through his body and wake his still tired limbs.

What had gotten into him? He had never acted that way towards Aphrodite before. He was usually the very vision of self-control, even when it came to the goddess of love and beauty. But today was different. His control he had worked so hard on had snapped just at the touch of the small woman's fingers...

Oh...She had touched him...those small fingers had left a trail of fire in their wake that still tingled and burned upon his flesh. Raking his hand over his face he took another deep gulp of air. He could still see her; her thin, flushed body pinned beneath him, her golden colored hair haloed around her as her chest heaved, forcing her burgundy colored robe to slip down and expose her heaving chest. Those amber eyes had stared up at him with so much fear and panic.

Then he had touched her...oh Gaia he had touched her. He had just put himself in the same position of every man that came in contact with Aphrodite, had made himself no better than them...but oh it had felt even better than he had ever imagined to kiss his wife. He could only imagine the disgust she must be feeling right now.

Lowering his head, he brought his fingers up to the scarred side of his face. What had he been thinking? He was such a predictable fool. By morning Aries was sure to be pounding on his door, looking for a fight. Sighing he felt his entire body sag with exhaustion, the adrenaline from before having worn off. It was well beyond time to head inside and try to get some rest.

Turning he stopped in his tracks, making eye contact with his wife who was currently standing in the doorframe of their home. Clenching his fists he walked forward, stepping around the small woman and making a beeline for his room, only to be stopped by a small hand grabbing his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not being on here as much as I was last year. But I have this chapter and the next one should be out soon. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Thank you for being so patient with me. (Good Lord did I even spell that correctly?)


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aphrodite and Hephaestus argue on the lawn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp. Just gonna. Put this here. Just....don't hate me. HA..hah...

She held his large fist in both hands, holding him in place. If there was one thing she knew, it was her husband. He wouldn't yank away when she was holding him like this for fear of harming her. Gazing up at his torn expression, it was all she could do to prevent the onslaught of emotions pouring out of him from affecting her. Guilt, want, and hurt rolled off of him in large waves. 

Keeping his hand in hers she took a small step towards him, releasing his tensed and balled up first to wrap her arms around his midsection, laying her head on his broad chest. Even standing slouched, her husband towered over her, surrounding her in his warmth and comforting her with his scent. Tipping her head back, she rested her chin on his chest, looking up at him. 

His charcoal colored eyes bore into her with pain and regret, causing a lump to form in her throat and her heart to skip a few beats. Why did he alway look at her like that? Clenching her teeth she pulled back from him, keeping her arms around him as much as she could and glared into those eyes. 

"Does being in my presence cause you so much discomfort that you won't even hold eye contact with me?" She demanded, her small hands clenching at the fabric of his dingy shirt. 

She always knew what to say to rile him up. She saw the flash in his eyes, a mix of irritation and the other emotions he had been holding back. 

“You know that’s not what the problem is, wife” he nearly sneered on the word, venom dripping from his voice. 

This shocked her. Hephaestus had been irritated with her before, but she had never felt such seething anger in him before. Perhaps her previous actions had gone too far? 

His large hands reached up, prying her fingers off of him. “I think it’s time we stopped lying to ourselves, Aphrodite. You only ever come home if you need something from me, be it weapons for your chosen heroes, a trinket, or comfort when you aren’t feeling it. I’m tired, Aphrodite. Too tired to deal with this. I think…” his hand gripped hers, she could see the tremble in them, and feel the pain filling his heart. “I think it’s best that you stop coming back. You never liked it here anyway.”

Dread filled her stomach as his eyes finally met hers. This wasn’t a spontaneous decision. He had been planning on telling her for a long time. Yanking her hand back from his, she stared up at his nearly soulless gaze. Choking back a pained cry, she span on her heel, and ran into the dawn.

**Author's Note:**

> Did anyone catch the Beauty and the Beast reference I made there? Heh? Hope you all enjoyed the story. Please leave a comment!


End file.
